Page 25 of Claiming Atlas

“Now,” Des begins, pulling my attention back to the front of the bus, “I’ve been in this industry for a long time, and I’ll tell you what, it isn’t often that someone comes into an audition and leaves such a...lastingimpression.”

All the girls cheer, except me.

No,Igroan, shaking my head as I cover my face with my hands. I should have known my friends would make sure my last night is just as ridiculous as my first. I look up at Destiny through my fingers.

She winks at me, then messes with the stereo until the most strippery song of all stripper songs starts blasting through the speakers.

Everyone cheers again, basking in my humiliation.

“What did Kayla bring to her audition, you guys?”

“Her mama’s mix tape!” Lexi yells.

I shoot her a glare and she sticks out her tongue.

When I handed the DJ my CD that night and he outrightlaughed, I should have known. I should have walked away and never looked back.

“That’s right, everyone, our girl here auditioned with a classic.” She strolls back to me, stepping out of her pencil skirt so she’s in nothing but a thong and a tight little crop top. “She walked in there thinking she’d picked the one and only song they’dneverseenanyonedance to before.” Des stops in front of me, her lips twitching on a smile, then turns around and places a hand on each knee, spreading my legs so she can dance between them. She rubs her butt back and forth in my lap a few times, then looks over her shoulder at me. “She brought them the most popular song from the year she was born.”

Everyone laughs, and I just shake my head. I can’t help it. I’ve always loved the nineties. My mom made sure of that.

“So there she goes,” Des continues. “Climbing up on that stage like she’s about to give them the show of their lives.” She turns toward me, brushing her breasts in my face. “And what did they do?”

I bark out a laugh and hang my head. “They turned off the music.”

“What? We can’t hear you.”

I look up and shake my head at her. “You suck.”

Des laughs, then presses her breasts against my face. “They turned off the music.” She leans back so I can breathe again. “And then what?” She stands, throwing her leg up on the seat and continuing her lap dance.

“They told me to come back when I had something they hadn’t seen seven times a day for the past fifteen years.”

“That’s right!” She laughs. “Mama’s mixtape!”

My girlfriends all whoop and holler, laughing it up like they haven’t all heard this story a thousand times. I just shake my head, laughing. Maybe this will be the final time we all get a good laugh on my behalf. Trent Reznor’s voice breaks through the cheers, and Des whispers along to the words, telling me how she’d like to ‘fuck me like an animal’.

What?It’s a classic.

And to be clear, my mom didnotlisten to Nine Inch Nails. She’s more of a Jewel fan.

Des finishes the song on the pole—no one works a pole like Destiny—coming close to landing a kick in one of Brandon’s friend’s faces, then slides down into the splits at my feet.

“The end of this story is the best part.” The music fades to silence and Des looks around, making sure everyone’s paying attention. “When Kayla flipped off the manager and told him he’d beluckyif anyone ever fuckedhimlike an animal, she earned herself a spot on our stage, and rightfully so.”

Everyone laughs, and I join in, thinking back to that first horribly awkward day. Collette had gotten me the introduction, even though I’d never danced a day in my life, and I’d blown it all to hell with what was apparently the most clichéd song I could have picked, and a big ‘fuck you’ to the boss.

Which he somehow found endearing.

I was put on the schedule the very next day.

“We’re sure going to miss your fire, girl.” Des stands up and pulls me to my feet, then embraces me fiercely. “We have a surprise for you.”

I laugh and steady myself as the bus rolls to a stop. “More than that surprise?”

She grins, then starts pulling her skirt back on. “Oh yeah, Kay, more than that surprise. There’s a certain dark haired bad boy in town tonight.” She moves me so I’m turned toward the windows, then points up to his name in flashing lights.

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